dlegros(Offline)

Hi all,

At the Stoney gig on Sunday, I noticed it was a bit of an Apeks-fest.

Considering I am looking at getting into twins this year (easy Knackers!) and have already formed quite an attachment to Oceanic regs, does anyone know of any problems using Oceanics in a DIR config?

I am specifically thinking of the CDX5 first stage, possibly Delta second stages (I like my Alphas, but I seem to recall that being able to dial-up the resistance is preferred).

The house routing on the CDX5 looks fairly standard, and the hoses are all standard, diaphragm can be whipped off with no special tools.

Any ideas out there folks?

TIA

Dom

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jb2cool (Online)

can you strip the Oceanics underwater?

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dlegros(Offline)

Never actually tried, but the cover-plates just unscrew, so I can't imagine why not.

Dom

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ahar(Offline)

I know this is a DIR requirement, but to me it seems one of the odder ones. I'f you're way back in a cave, I can see this is a good idea. However, it seems pretty pointless in OW diving.

I would concentrate on ensuring that the Oceanic is good for cold water, has good hose routing on the first stage and has a good reputation for the kind of diving you're doing. I know quite a few people who use them for stage regs and haven't heard any bad reports about them.

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Howard Payne (Online)

As someone who was on Oceanic regs until recently and now dives x2 ATX50's I guess I can comment.

No reason why Oceanic regs shouldn't be DIR - I think Gorgeous George specifically mentions them as being OK somewhere.

I had (still have) a DX4 1st stage with Delta 4 / Alpha 8 second stages. Terrific, easy breathing regs - very compact, light second stages. Very easy to strip and clean. There is a swivel joint on the neck of the Delta 4 where it meets the hose which means it sits very nicely in the mouth - but very non DIR I believe (potential failure point). Main problem is the size of DX4 1st stage which is beautifully made, but too big to sit a pair of them side by side on a twinset and rig the hoses easily. Oceanic regs have free parts for life on them in the UK as long as you have them regularly serviced which certainly saves a bob or two

IMHO go for Apeks DS4 (non swivel) first stages with ATX 40 /50 second stages. Great regs - I'm delighted with mine - almost everyone uses them or something close (sometimes the slightly bigger and older but almost identical TX40 / 50s). The DS4 first stages are very simple (nothing to go wrong) beuatifully made and very compact which makes them easy to rig on a twinset. If you're going to be diving with DIR folks regularly - if you ever had a problem - chances are someone in the team would have a spare second or first stage that you could interchange - one of the benefits of everyone using the same thing.

I believe that the whole "finger tight, stripable underwater" thing is now in the past for UK DIR open water diving. Someone may wish to clarify this.

I know some guys go the Scubapro route. The main secondary hoses (reg hoses) route out of the bottom of the first stages rather than the side which makes for very neat hose routing. Never liked the way Scubapro regs breath myself - but that's personal preference I guess.

Almost every dive shop in the UK services and stocks the parts of Apeks as well which makes life easier if you ever had a problem.

HTH - ATB

Mats Edenfeldt(Offline)

I have to agree with Howard. I can be of quit big importance to have the same set up as the other divers in your team or group for just that reason, to be able to fix/borrow something to make the dive work.
I always have a service kit with me and all the necessary tools to repair Apeks regulators. I don’t know what the Ocianic regs look like or if they have similar service kit it may be some o-rings that my fit and something you can do to fix a problem on the boat but the question is if you want to dive with a regulator that is just fixed for the moment!!!?
To be able to take the cover of to clean the reg is good but not a must, as long as you use the same equipment on everything then you can easily take a regulator of one of the other stages/deco bottles and put on. I dive with all my regulators finger tight, this can be done if you check the regulators before every dive and sometimes during the dive.

Does anyone have the link to the Oceanic regulators that he is referring to?
Have anyone tried the Salvo regulators? I will have a closer look at them when i go to Florida in April, would be nice to try them out. Anyone know who is making them for him?

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JohnKendall(Offline)

I've had a quick look and they look remarkably similar to Oceanics 2nd stages.

J

Janos(Offline)

I have Oceanic CDX5's and Alpha 7's and I've had no problems diving with them in 2 degree fresh water. You can strip the second stages, and I have done on the boat to remove a piece of grit from one of the diaphragms, but I'm too clumsy to want to do that underwater.

I can't see that hose-routing would be a problem either.

Janos

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